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The Northgate Flames (0-11, 4-15) continue to battle every game, but still have not been able to pickup that elusive first section win. Most recently, the Flames battled, but still fell to the Wildcats from Shenango (3-8, 5-13) by the score of 64 – 44.

The Flames opened the game in a 3-2 zone defense, and Shenango attacked it by shooting from the perimeter. The Wildcats hit a three to start, and then dropped into a full-court press to speed the game up and cause some turn-overs.

The Avonworth girls’ basketball team picked up one for the win column when they hosted Apollo Ridge this past Monday. Leading from start to finish, the Lady ‘Lopes dominated throughout on the way to a 64-29 win.

“It was a tough week last week’” said Avonworth coach Mark D’Alessandris as he referred to back-to- back losses heading into this game.

“We were working real hard and we came out on fire,” said D’Alessandris.

After jumping out to a 12-point lead in the first quarter, the Avonworth boys’ basketball team saw their lead slowly disappear throughout the contest when they hosted Seton LaSalle in section play this past Tuesday.

The Rebels claimed their only lead with :04 left on the clock to defeat the Antelopes 49-47.

In the first quarter Matt Crilley-scored eight of his game-high 24 points, as he was unstoppable down inside the Seton LaSalle defense.

The Northgate Flames (0 – 9, 4 – 13) are still in pursuit of their first section win after losing to the Bishop Canevin Crusaders (8 -1, 12 – 3) Tuesday night, by the score of 77 – 30. The Flames were at home, but the Crusaders entered the game with only one loss in the section, and tied for firstplace with Sewickley Academy.

The Flames have taken on a younger look over the past couple of weeks. Led by two seniors, Ray Man-gone and Stephon Adams, the team is made up mostly of freshman and sophomores and two juniors.

In a non-section contest last Friday, the Avonworth girls basketball team hosted Sewickley Academy and rolled to a 58-32 win.

Hayden Robinson had a superb night all around, finishing with 22 points along with 12 rebounds.

In the first quarter sisters Hayden and Hunter Robinson combined for 10 points, and freshman Lexi Mankey scored four points and sophomore Alexa Davis scored from underneath at the buzzer to give the Lady ‘Lopes an early 16-10 lead.

The Northgate Flames (0-6, 4-10) were still looking for their first section win last Friday night when they took on the Lancers from Neshannock (3-3, 8-4). The Flames’ offensive struggles continued as they fell to the Lancers 72 – 46.

Following what Northgate-Avonworth swim team coach Jessie McKelvey describes as being a new section “adjustment period,” before becoming more focused and unified, she is quick to tell anyone that this year’s team is doing well.

How well? Very well. Undefeated, record-breaking well!

“We always have exciting swims each meet for all kinds of reasons. I think the most notable this year is Karen Siddoway clenching all of the girls’ individual records. All the girls’ relays are now broken, so the girls’ side of the board has been cleared and all the holders are current swimmers.”

The Avonworth boys’ basketball team extended their recent win streak to six games, capturing two wins over the past week.

The 'Lopes hosted Carlynton in a section game last Friday and defeated the Cougars 50-44.

"It was ugly but we'll take it," said coach Dan Bradley.

Avonworth jumped out to an early lead in the first quarter with three-balls by Mike Noethiger and Jake Harper and a basket in the lane by Matt Crilley, all coming on Avonworth's first three possessions to put them ahead 8-0.

The Northgate Flames girls’ basketball team entered last Thursday's game against Brentwood sporting a 5-3 overall record and having aspirations of pulling an upset against their section leader. The Flames hung tough early on, but the Spartans took over in the second quarter and never looked back on their way to a 55-34 win.

The Northgate Flames wrapped up their home schedule on Tuesday when they fell to the Rams from South Side Beaver, on Senior Recognition Night, by the score of 90-53.
Northgate (3-18) came into the game struggling as a defensive unit, allowing their opponents to score on average 74 points a game. South Side came into the game looking to exploit the Flames' lack of experience with their pressure defense.

The Northgate Flames (3-13) fell to the OLSH Chargers (11-4) last Friday night by the score of 74 - 22. The Chargers are a very good team led by 6'6" senior Collin Neville and 6'4" junior Ethan Harrell. The Flames were at a disadvantage in the paint given the height difference, but Northgate never quit, showing a lot of grit and fortitude throughout the game.

The 2015-16 Northgate Flames' boys' basketball season got rolling on Dec. 4 when they took on the Springdale Dynamos in the Springdale Tip-Off Tournament. The Flames lost to Springdale and Yough in the tournament, but section play starts tonight when they travel to Moon Township to take on the Chargers from Our Lady of Sacred Heart (OLSH).

Injuries were part of the adversity the Avonworth Antelopes football team had to deal with all season, and that continued to be a factor when the 'Lopes met the Clairton Bears in a WPIAL quarterfinal game played last Friday.

Avonworth battled Clairton to a 14-14 tie by halftime, but just couldn't match up with the Bears in the second half as they fell 46-21 to end their season.

"I'm proud of these kids. They came out, gutted it up, and played their hearts out," said Antelopes’ coach Duke Johncour.

Northgate and Avonworth met last Friday night in a thriller on Halloween's Eve, and all those who were in attendance witnessed a western style shootout, with all of the bushwhacking and gun slinging you could ever imagine.

The game see-sawed back and forth in the fourth quarter as the lead changed three times, and when the smoke cleared the Flames had come up short on the wrong side of a 50 - 49 heartbreaker.

Following a post-season 2-0 win against Bishop Canevin and a 4-3 upset of the Sewickley Academy Panthers, Avonworth's boys' soccer team has advanced to a WPIAL finals match-up that will be played against Seton-La Salle, with kick-off at noon tomorrow at Highmark Stadium, located on West Station Square Drive in Pittsburgh.

The victory over the Sewickley team, with a history of wins that include being state runner-up last year and WPIAL champs and state champs in 2013, came with a formidable fight.